Community Action Groups

Awakening the Dreamer ~ Transitioning the Dream – Supporting the Pachamama Alliance and the Awakening the Dreamer Symposium. We facilitate interactive transformational workshops that inspire participants to play a role in creating a new future. (information on website: http://awakeningthedreamer.org/) The education also includes training local leaders to facilitate the symposiums. (the Local Earth team is in the process of adapting a version of ATD symposium specifically focused on ‘getting into action’ with emphasis on ecologic sustainability ~ which we feel inherently leads to social justice as well)

Seeds of Transition – Supporting the Transition Town Movement with weekly study groups in various communities through out San Diego County. Promoting the Transition Network’s role to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they self-organise around the transition model, creating initiatives that rebuild resilience and reduce CO2 emissions. Activities will include weekly study groups on the Transition Handbook; includes training local citizens how to become a leading part of the movement. (website: http://transitionnetwork.org/)

Food – Supporting the development of home, neighborhood and school community garden networks (potentially corporate & hospital gardens as well). Promoting organic local food production (CSA – community supported agriculture). Education on composting, soil preparation, planting, watering, maintenance and various indigenous practices.

Water – Supporting conscious use and conservation of water. Promoting low-flow water utilities and efficient irrigation practices. Education including rainwater harvesting, grey water systems, drip irrigation, daily lifestyle tips and various indigenous practices.

Economy – Supporting the development of a thriving local economy. Promoting local financial systems and cooperative business structures. Advocating for a mutual-benefit and collaborative business culture. Education in local resource-based economic models.

Politics – Promoting involvement, education and awareness of local politics. Grassroots community engagement supporting environmentally conscious local policy. Education in community organizing and facilitation.

Community Visioning Workshop – An interactive, physically embodied, collaborative community design experience. An opportunity for all participants to creatively engage in the process of envisioning a community they feel would most optimally support them in a healthy, happy and thriving life. This is a 2 hour workshop consisting of inspirational collaborative exercises and various methods of group communication.

Community Planning – Supporting an engaged, honest and active community voice in our local city planning. Promoting forward-thinking and environmentally conscious land use planning, building codes and permitting processes. Education and communication practices resulting in accountability and an accurate reflection of our core community values.

Community Culture – Inspiring the cultivation of community culture, spirit and village lifestyle. Promoting walking/biking friendly communities and consciously designed neighborhoods. Supporting artistic and creative engagement for local citizens in the planning and development of our communities.

Permaculture – Supporting permaculture design principles and systems that can be used to implement all facets of this program. Promoting permaculture as an approach to designing human settlements and agricultural systems that are modeled on the relationships found in natural ecologies. Education based on ecological and biological principles, often using patterns that occur in nature to maximise effect and minimise work. Permaculture aims to create stable, productive systems that provide for human needs, harmoniously integrating the land with its inhabitants. Permaculture principles can be applied to any environment, at any scale from dense urban settlements to individual homes, from farms to entire regions.